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Welcome to London Civic Watch

"Ever wonder if City Council is as contentious and chaotic as it is sometimes portrayed? Here you can get a progressive perspective on some of the issues from someone who spent four years in the trenches. Totally unbiased, though!Feel free to comment but keep it respectful, just like they do at council."

Thursday, December 13, 2012

The gang of eight that rules London

He may have been politically incorrect, but Dale Henderson
spoke power to truth when he announced that London had embarked on a new era,
an era in which eight people are running the city.

The motion put forward by the Finance and Administrative
Services (FAS) Committee, that the mayor step aside with pay until his criminal
charges were resolved, was not “about Joe” at all, he claimed. “This is about
how we run the city, who runs the city and we are doing a great job. The Eight
are doing this and we’re going to stay together.”

Despite an impassioned rebuttal by the usually mild mannered
Bill Armstrong who is not one of the eight, and a some gently apologetic words
of disagreement from Bud Polhill who is, Henderson stuck to his guns the
following morning on 980 radio. The eight running the city are business types,
Liberals and Conservatives, he maintained. The rest, at least six of them, are
socialists and NDPers.

That threw some light on my experience on the previous
evening at city hall where the historic vote took place.

When I arrived, well in advance of the scheduled meeting, a
few rows of the benches in the gallery where already occupied. I usually enter
from the right and sit at the far right, not from any political leanings but
because that’s where the sole electrical outlet is located in case my laptop
needs to be recharged. But on this occasion, my usual spot was already occupied
as was the row behind it. I picked my way to an empty spot in the middle of the
back row; it was as close as I could get to power.

Some guffaws from the landing behind me drew my attention.
There was Orser the enforcer hailing the
assembled spectators. With him was Derek McBurney, the very person Orser had previously
picked out of the audience to sit on an advisory committee in preference to
someone who had actually applied. Earlier in the summer McBurney had warned me
that someone was going to get sued for their statements about the mayor’s
involvement in a charity, the one that was handing out inflated tax receipts.

Photo by Abe Oudshoorn

“Hey, Gina. You’re surrounded by Liberals,” Orser guffawed. “You
should take out a membership.”

And indeed, those assembled looked nothing like the usual
grassroots citizens and activists who keep watch on city council. They were
mostly middle-aged men in suits, quite distinct from the youthful activists and
Old South homeowners who arrived later to support the Normal School. One of the
men joked about how they should all have worn their red ties, but only one had
chosen to do so. A large sign from the mayor’s 2010 campaign was proudly
displayed to identify the group. Clearly, Orser hadn’t given up his role as Joe
Fontana’s sign organizer. There were at least a couple of dozen Liberal Caucus
members present.

Among them, but arriving a little later, was Dick Rastin,
executive director of the Street Connection, which had received donations from
Fontana’s charity and the City of London taxpayers via Stephen Orser’s expense
account. There was also someone who had known Fontana and his buddy Vincent
Ciccone in Timmins. They were no choirboys, he acknowledged, but he was there
to support Joe; let God and the courts be the judge of his behaviour.

Although some of us had arrived well before the
starting time of four o’clock, it was almost six before the motion asking the
mayor to step aside came to the floor.

The mayor had wisely declared a conflict and left the
council floor. He designated Harold Usher to chair in his stead.

Usher was visibly nervous; he was shaking as he assumed the
chair. Perhaps it was this nervousness that resulted in his barking at the
audience that he would not put up with any noise from them; they would be
kicked out and indeed one foolish spectator was shortly ejected.

As vice-chair of FAS, Paul Hubert read the motion asking the
mayor to step aside, with pay, until the charges had be cleared through the courts.
Baechler, who had prepared the motion for FAS, seconded it.

And then, Usher dropped a bombshell: he declared that, based
on what he had heard in the in camera session from the city solicitor, the
motion was out of order. It could not be debated.

Baechler was stunned. Clearly, that was not what she had
heard from the city solicitor. She objected to the chair’s ruling.

Usher was adamant. “You will have to challenge the chair,”
he retorted.

“I do. I challenge the chair,” Baechler replied.

The audience fell absolutely silent. This they hadn’t
anticipated, to have the debate aborted a second time.

The clerk read the question. “Will the ruling of the chair
be sustained?” There was not debate. Each councillor was to respond orally.

“Yes,” said Polhill, leading off as the incumbent for Ward
1. No surprise there.

“No,” said Armstrong. That too was expected.

But then, “No,” said Joe Swan. That wasn’t anticipated. Nor
was the “No” from Sandy White. After all, they can usually be counted on to
support Fontana’s agenda. Swan had opposed allowing debate on this earlier when
it had been proposed by Nancy Branscombe as an emergent motion. White had
supported allowing debate at that time so her “no” was less surprising. The
remainder voted as anticipated with Orser, Henderson, VanMeerbergen, and Denise
Brown agreeing to rule the motion out of order and the remainder, Baechler,
Matt Brown, Hubert, and Bryant voting “no”. Thus, Usher’s ruling was
overturned. It was sensational for the audience, if not for Usher.

Judy Bryant kicked off the debate, repeating Hubert’s
earlier assertion that no one took joy in this but the reputation of the city
was at stake. She was followed by Denise Brown who had done a number of
flip-flops on this issue and who had been recently been appointed to replace
the mayor on the Police Services Board. She tried to get the city solicitor to
back her up in her reservation about the legality of the motion.

Jim Barber was not about to reveal advice that was given in camera. He recited the pieces of
legislation that he had discussed with them and left it at that.

Baechler had sought independent legal advice from which she
concluded that there was no legal barrier to the motion; it was a request, not
an order, which allowed council publicly to respond to the situation and
represent their constituents concerns. It was symbolic, not directive. The
mayor had a perfect right to ignore the request if he chose.

Then it was Orser’s turn. In typical theatrical style, he
waved a framed copy of what he called “The Charter of Freedoms and Rights” that
he had brought in from his office. This motion was illegal, it wasn’t part of
the Municipal Act. There were possibilities—however distant or remote—of criminal
action! It was tantamount to rendering a judgement. The mayor wouldn’t be able
to get a fair trial. It was unfair, it was wrong.

“People come from around the world for our freedoms and
rights,” he bellowed. This was nothing but media football. “If it bleeds, it
leads,” he informed his colleagues.

It was quite a performance lasting six and a half minutes
although the time limit is supposed to be five.

“Allow the individual to have a fair trial,” he cried
piteously.

Then Henderson stood up. He had heard (sic) a lot of press and
received a lot of emails about how this was not moral but he had been there two
years now and he had learned a few things. This was not about Joe, this was
about a divided council voting 8-7, 8-7, 8-7. This is about the seven wanting
to get rid of one so that it would be 7-7. Eight people were running the city
and things were changing. Job descriptions were changing, people were leaving.
He was one of eight business people running the city. They were doing a great
job and were going to stick together.

Armstrong was outraged. He couldn’t believe what he had just
heard. Eight people don’t run the city. This was out of line with democracy. If
eight run the city, then what are we doing here, he asked rhetorically. His
outburst drew a hearty round of applause from an overflowing gallery.

Polhill, while agreeing that it had been an 8-7 council, had
to disagree with the direction his colleague was suggesting. He felt they
should work together, try to make it a 15-0 council.

It was the closest that Polhill will likely ever get to
saying anything supportive of Armstrong. The two have been at loggerheads for
years, with Polhill doing everything he can to discredit and unseat Armstrong
and secure ward 2 for his son, thereby establishing his “dynasty”.

Usher left the chair in order to get his say. He found this
whole thing disheartening. This was his home, his city. Yes, he had received emails,
passionate one, but not that many, not a tumultuous (sic) number, but probably
more in favour of the motion than against it. But he hadn’t left it at that. He
had gone out into the public and spoken to people. And guess what? The people
he spoke to were just the opposite of the emails. They felt hurt by the motion.
They wanted the city to get back to normal.

But some members were feeding the media. He would never do
this, harming our city by feeding the media. They knew the person (Fontana)
wouldn’t go. They should just leave it be.

It was a direct slap in the face to Baechler and Hubert, to
accuse them of exploiting the situation of the mayor for personal gain.
Especially Baechler, who has been a friend and mentor to him for many years.

But Usher has changed over the years. Always sensitive to perceived slights, he
has become more and more obsessed with being respected and admired. For many,
the novelty of his being “sensational” wore off many years ago, but Usher keeps
trying to prove his worth by pointing to his credentials and exercising his
authority whenever possible. His email signature line contains every position
on every committee, board and commission or neighbourhood group on which he has
ever served. The mayor played his cards well in sending him to represent him at
a national mayor’s conference. Although he was denied an opportunity to chair
any committees this term, he probably realizes that he will have to curry
favour with the eight for any future opportunities.

There were only two more speakers. Paul VanMeerbergen was
opposed to the motion. He would never turn on a colleague or deny him due
process, he said. Sandy White decided that she could not support it because,
although it was supposed to be a symbolic motion, she couldn’t find the word
symbolic in it.

Then Hubert, as mover of the motion, had the opportunity to
sum up his argument.

“No one is impinging on his rights and freedoms,” he pointed
out. This was not about the mayor, it was about the integrity of the office of
mayor. Elected officials have to be above reproach. Even CEOs of corporations, if
charged with a criminal offence have to step aside until they are cleared.
Criminal charges shake the faith of the public in the institution.

He took offence at Henderson’s implication that those not
part of the eight had no business acumen.

“I run two businesses,” he pointed
out.

As he was speaking, Usher pointed out that his time was
running out. It was a clear attempt to muzzle him. Hubert quickly requested an extension,
something that is normally granted automatically for an additional five
minutes.

“Reliance on a block of votes is harming the very outcomes that
Councillor Henderson so often asks about,” Hubert pointed out to Henderson.

“We need to reach out, “he concluded. Eight people don’t run
the city. Council runs the city. Fifteen people run the city.”

However, eight people voted down the motion that night.
Although the mayor did not participate, Harold Usher joined the voting block of
Polhill, Swan, Orser, Henderson, VanMeerbergen, Denise Brown and Sandy White.
These are, according to Henderson, the business brains of council. The gang
that runs the city. The Dufferin Street Crew.

Supporting the motion were Armstrong, Baechler, Matt Brown,
Hubert and Bryant. Branscombe, who had tried to put forward the previous motion was absent. According to Henderson, they are irrelevant socialists
and NDPers who would drive up taxes and destroy the city.

After sitting on a Board with Harold Usher for several years I came to the conclusion that he is, well, er... not very bright. To that add a lot of insecurity and the firm belief that his true genius is not recognized.

Would this council be as bad as it is if Fontana did not allow dolts like Orser to run wild and unchecked? Would a first-timer like Henderson behave in a more dignified manner if he was not propped up by the Bully-Team of 8? Is the Fontana 8 about to become the Fontana 9 as it seems Harold (the sensational) Usher now wants to play with the power team? Will London soon be firmly in the clutches of a few business and landowners who will bleed out our future for quick profits today? Will Joe Swan finally reveal what game he is playing at, as people remember when he had some integrity but has now one to the dark side? Will London's next council members come from communities even farther away, as long as they own some land in London?

And, where is Batman when we need him? Our city is in so much trouble that only a caped crusader can save us from the dark forces of the Fontana 8, soon to be 9.

The answers to some of these questions might never be known. Some will become revealed sooner than we like.

I had to work until 8 pm that night, but made it to the gallery at about 8:45. There were maybe a half-dozen people left by then. I held up the red card that had been printed in the Free Press for about an hour. J-Fo looked up at it and shook his head. I nodded in return.

We can't leave this up to the city councillors. All of us need to make our voices heard! I will be back out with my sign in front of City Hall Friday from about 3 until it gets dark. Please join me if if can. If you can't, call and write the mayor's office and cc your city councillor. Write short letters to the editor of the Free Press.

It is so comical that the dud from Ward 4 calls the information about the Mayor a media circus when he is a master of manipulating the media to get his name in the paper doing "when it is stupid, it leads" over and over again.